[ 𝚃𝚠𝚒𝚐𝚜 & 𝙳𝚒𝚛𝚝 ] ~ 𝙳𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗 𝙷𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚡 𝙾𝚌

XXXVI - Batteries

Lucy sat next to Dustin in the tech booth as he called out into his TRC. "Code red! Guys answer, this is a code red! I repeat, this is a code red!" 

"Dust, I don't think they can hear you. Otherwise they'd pick up, right?" Lucy tilted her head slightly. 

"I've gotta try, Lu-" 

"I know." Lucy nodded. 

"Code red, code red! I repeat, this is a code red!" Dustin called once again. 

"Dustin!" 

Lucy jumped slightly, they'd been trying for a few minutes and gotten nothing back. She didn't expect Mike to respond. 

"Mike?" Dustin asked, as if to make sure. 

"Dustin!"

"Mike!" Dustin laughed slightly. 

"Dustin Clarence Henderson, where the fuck are you!" Well that sure wasn't Mike. 

"Justin's there?" Lucy frowned slightly. 

"Clarence?" Lucy faintly heard Rylie's voice in the background of the static. She wasn't quite sure what was going on. Guess Mike had been as productive as they'd been. Why else would Justin and Rylie be there? 

"Justin? Why are you with Mike?" Dustin asked in confusion, his brows drawn together. 

"Where the hell are you!"

Dustin shook his head softly, realizing it was important for him to get on with what he was trying to do before. "Oh my god, you have to listen- I know I've been MIA, and I'm sorry, it's not because I'm mad- I mean, I actually was mad, but it's also because we were trapped underground in a secret Russian base. I know that sounds insane, but the Russians have infiltrated Hawkins! The goddamn Russians! And now, they're using a machine to open the gate!"

"Dust, you're talking too fast." Lucy chuckled softly, but her words didn't slow him down. 

"And now they're after us, and we don't have a way out of here, so I need you to come and get us. Can you drive, Justin? we're in the Starcourt Movie Theater." 

"Du- out-" Mike replied, though his voice didn't come through. 

"Mike?" 

Static sounded and murmurs were heard, though no real words. 

"Mike?" Mike, do you copy? Mike!" 

"Dust, I don't think it's going through." Lucy frowned. 

Dustin moved his thumb, pressing the Battery Test button. The 'low' light lit up red, a noise sounding and the transceiver shut off. 

"Shit! Not now. Please, not now!" Dustin hit the side of the machine. "Mike!" 

Dustin grabbed Lucy's hand and pulled her to her feet. "C'mon, Lu." He urged before pulling her back into the cinema room and down the stairs. They sat down back in their seats and Dustin quietly whispered to Erica. "Do you have any batteries? Double-A?" 

"Why would I have batteries?" Erica snarked. 

"I always carry batteries." 

"Then what's the problem?" 

"I need eight." 

"Eight?" 

"Lu? Do you have any?" 

Lucy gave a soft shrug, before rifling through her backpack. Her TRC had died too when Dustin was trying to call to the surface on the elevator. She found one loose battery and handed it to him.